Nielsen tops RFL global research list

Kantar takes second place with $4bn and IBM secures its third place because of its research related businesses (SPSS, Cognos and Watson) which recorded $3bn in global revenues according to the report.

The list includes traditional research agencies plus several new names. So as well as IBM on the list there is Omnicom at no. 20 because of the businesses it owns such as C Space (formerly known as Communispace) and Hall & Partners.

And there are a number of less orthodox research businesses featuring in the rankings such as Inmoment at no. 48 with $46m revenues.

US-based RFL Communications’ Bob Lederer said that the report focused on global revenue because much of the reported US research revenue actually came from projects conducted outside the US.